PLUGGING THE GAPS
Which teams are best placed to manage loss of their All Blacks talent?
Ian Foster’s 35-man All Blacks squad has assembled in Whakatane as preparations for the upcoming Bledisloecup series get underway. Plenty of anticipation has arisen since last week’s confirmation that the All Blacks and Wallabies will do battle with each other for the first time in over a year next month.
Newzealand will host two matches in Wellington on October 11 and Auckland on October 18 before jetting off to Australia to take part in the Rugby Championship, and the final two Bledisloe Cuptests of the three-match series, innovemberand December.
But while there has beenmuch fanfare over the prospect of the All Blacks returning to our screens after an 11-month layoff, someofnew Zealand’s rugby diehards have expressed disdain over the impact it will have on the Mitre 10 Cup.
Without the nation’s top players participating in the Mitre 10 Cup, New Zealand’s premier provincial competition will lose plenty of its stardust over the coming weeks, and the impact of the All Blacks’ departures will differ for each province. Alex Mcleodof Rugbypass. comlooks at thedamagedone.
Auckland
The side that will perhaps be the hit the hardest by thewaveof outgoing All Blacks is Auckland.
The ensemble of All Blacks in the Bay of Plenty will strip the province of its seven national representatives, with Patrick Tuipulotu, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Hoskins Sotutu, Rieko andakira Ioane, Caleb Clarke and Alexhodgmanin Whakatane.
Of those seven, only Tuipulotu played no part in Auckland’s matches against Otago and Wellington, meaning the 2018 champions won’t have to plunge too deep into their squad to paper over his loss, but the samecan’t be said for the others.
Fortunately, Auckland have amongthe strongest rosters in the Mitre 10 Cupand can call uponan array of internationals, Super Rugby stars and up-and-coming talents to fill the voids left by that remaining sextet.
Through the likes of 14-test All Black Angus Ta’avao, Samoan international James Lay, Blues regular Marcel Renata and former Sunwolves player Jarrad Adams, the absences of props Tu’ungafasi and Hodgmanhave been well and truly covered.
Similarly in the loose forwards, head coach Alama Ieremia can call uponany one of Blues stalwart Blake Gibson, returning Bristol Bears loanee Adrian Choat, Blues rookiewaimana Riedlinger-kapa and emerging star Niko Jones to replace Akira Ioane and Sotutu.
With a raft of current and former Super Rugby options at their disposal in the form of captain TJ Faiane, Tumuamanu, Tanielu Tele’a, Salesi Rayasi, Jordan Trainor and Inga Finau, Auckland still pose significant threats out wide.
Taranaki
Newly-crowned Ranfurly Shield holders Taranaki face similar issues, with superstar brothers Beauden and Jordie Barrett joining young lock Tupouvaa’i in Whakatane.
Evergreen fullback Jayson Potroz has proven himself at Mitre 10Cup level and is a leading candidate to take Jordie’s place in the starting side.
Whowill stand in for Beauden is moredifficult to decipher given that Blues playmaker Stephen Perofeta has been out of action for quitesome time, meaning the well-travelled Codyrei couldcomeinto the selection frame.
Jack Jordan seems the next cab off the rank to partner 18-year-old Josh Lord in the secondrowgiven Vaa’i’s unavailability.
Canterbury
The losing side in the weekend’s exhilarating Ranfurly Shield encounter, Canterbury, will have their woescompounded by the fact that they will have to see out the Mitre 10Cup without six of their All Blacks.
Samwhitelock, Richie Mo’unga, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody, George Bridge and Cullen Grace all played in that match and the one theweek beforehand against North Harbour in Albany.
Highlanders loosehead prop Daniel Lienert-brown leads the charge to replacemoodyin theno 1 jersey, while formernewzealand U20representative Shilo Klein will go toe-to-toe with Crusaders rake Brodie Mcalister for Taylor’s place at hooker.
In former World Cup-winner Luke Romano, Crusaders veteran Mitchell Dunshea andnewblues signingsam Darry, there are a plethora of options to cover for Whitelock in the second row.
Thesamecan be said of utility forward Grace, whowas deployed at No 8 for Canterbury, with Crusaders pairwhetudouglas andtomsanders set to jostle for a place at the back of the scrum.
Out-of-contract Highlanders speedster Joshmckayand Crusaders flyer Manasa Mataele are expected to welcomeall Blacks Sevens star Andrewknewstubb into anew-look back three without Bridge.
One-test All Blacks pivot Brett Cameron, meanwhile, will be supported by young gun Fergus Blake atno 10.
Tasman
Themakostormed to the title without registering a single defeat last season, and they have kept their winning record intact this year after opening their campaign with back-to-back victories over Countiesmanukauand Northland.
The reigning champions were heavily reliant on electric outside backs Sevu Reece and Will Jordan in those two fixtures, but will have to makedo without themwhenthey face a stern test from Waikato in Nelson this weekend.
Tasmanremain in good shape in the outside backs, though, as they still have three-test All Blacks utility David Havili, breakout Blues star Mark Telea, Crusaders star Leicester Fainga’anuku, Tongan international Fetuli Paea, Highlanders wing Tima Fainga’anuku and exciting youngster Jamie Spowart as capable replacements.
Afurther three All Blacks— prop Tyrel Lomax, lock Quinten Strange and loose forward Shannon Frizell— have also left themakoset-up.
Tasman’s healthy loose forward stocks should allow the likes of Crusaders tearaway Sione Havili, exHurricanehugh Renton andgerman teenager Anton Segner to flourish.
One-time Blues front rower Isaac Salmon is likely to be called uponto fill Lomax’s boots while Strange missed both of the Mako’snpc matches.
Waikato
The impressive Mooloos outfit travels to Nelson thisweekwithout explosive fullback Damian Mckenzie and star midfielder Anton LienertBrown.
The pair were prominent figures in Waikato’s hefty victories over Wellington and North Harbour, and they leave gaping holes. LienertBrownwill be the easier of the duo to replace, with his midfield partner Quinn Tupaea already standing out formenin red, black and yellow.
The 21-year-old would pack a formidable punch with fellow Chiefs youngster Bailyn Sullivan at 12 and 13 together, buthowstrawbridge fill theno 15 role left by Mckenziemay prove to harder.
Experienced playmaker Fletcher Smith has spent sometime at fullback over the years, as has first five Matty Lansdowne, whoplayed at 15 for the Maori All Blacks two years ago.
Wellington
Upsetting the odds to topple a strong Auckland at Eden Park on Sunday, Wellington will have to overcome the loss of four key players to Foster’s squad.
Oneof those stars, veteran hooker Dane Coles, didn’t take the field against Auckland or intheir seasonopening defeat to Waikato, but powerful rake Asafoaumuadid, to devastating effect.
The 23-year-old’s impactful display in the Lions’ 39-21 win at Eden Park will be hard to replicate, but head coach Leo Crowley will look to experienced back-up James O’reilly.
Elsewhere, Highlanders loose forward Teariki Ben-nicholas looks a ready-made replacement forardie Savea atno 8, and will join an industrious back row consisting of Vaea Fifita and Du’plessiskirifi.
Star halfback TJ Perenara featured prominently for the Lions over the past twoweeks, but it will beupto the long-servingkemara HauitiParapara to step upto the plate.
Bayof Plenty
After captaininghis province to a hard-fought win over amuchimproved Southland outfit, All Blacks skippersamcane is the only player for Bay of Plenty to depart for the national set-up.
There are no shortage of contenders to take his place at openside flanker, though, with Chiefs back-up Mitch Karpik filling that role in the Steamers’ season-opener against Taranaki.
Hewill, however, have plenty of competition for the 7 jersey, with Tongan international Zane Kapeli, exScotland representativehughblake and All Blacks Sevens starsam Dicksonamongthose waiting in the wings.
Countiesmanukau
Likewise, neither Dalton Papalii nor Nepolaulala could pickupawin for Countiesmanukau in their two appearances, againsttasmanand Hawke’s Bay.
The Steelers might have a rough time inunearthing players of their ilk at openside flanker and tighthead prop.
Perhaps Irish front rower Conan O’donnell, whoturned out for the Highlanders this year, could offer somereliefup front, but ex-all Blacks captain Kieran Read atno 8may have to bear the brunt of a lack of experience andnotable figures in the loosies.
Hawke’sbay
Hawke’s Bay’s sole All Blacks representative Bradweberwas integral to the Magpies’ win over Countiesmanukauon Sunday, bagging a brace of tries in Napier.
While that shows howmuchhe will be missed, his side is well-stocked at halfback, with highly-promising Highlanders youngster Folau Fakatava set to be challenged by former Otago representative Connor Mcleodfor a starting spot.
Manawatu
Despite his best efforts, All Blacks halfback Aaron Smith couldn’t get Manawatuinto the winner’s circle in his twooutings for the Turbos, against Northland andotago.
Regardless, he showedhisworldclass credentials in both displays, and as good as he has been for the Hurricanes andturbos, Jamie Booth will have amassive task to fill the void left by the 92-test All Black.
North Harbour
Anotherwhodidn’t manageto taste success while on provincial duty, Karl Tu’inukuafe leaves North Harbour with a fewcapable replacements ready to take his place at loosehead prop.
The next in line appears to be Teague Mcelroy, whowasonthe bench inthe two games that Tu’inukuafe started, but with plenty of experience at Super Rugby level and inengland, Nicmayhewstands as a firm challenger.
Northland
While he appeared for Northland in their first-up loss to Manawatu, injury robbed Jackgoodhue of a second outing against Tasmanover the weekend.
Based onhowthe Taniwha lined upfor that clash, it looks as though Tamati Tua is the prime candidate to replace theall Blacks midfielder and partner up with Rene Ranger.
— Rugbypass.com